Through the Years

Chapter 3

xxxxxxxxxx Hieeeeeeeeeeeeee :D. Ugh, I've been sooooooo busy and I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on this, but I finally finished it. Aghhh feelings. Please enjoy and tell me what you think! xxxxxxxxxx

I bolted upright in my bed in a sweat and gasping for breath. I looked down at the cast on my right leg that extended from my knee down, remembering that awful day. It had been another night of dreaming about...the accident. As I my heavy breathing turned into quiet sobs, with a shaking hand, I reached over for my cell. Turning it on, I saw it was only 4:03 am. On a Saturday. I debated whether or not I should call him. My need for comfort and security at the moment overpowered all logic and I dialed the number with trembling fingers that I knew by heart. I held the phone up to my ear and listened as the series of rings sounded. Finally, the ringing stopped short.

"Isa, it's like....four in the morning," I heard Jaiden say, not trying to disguise his obvious accent, in an annoyed and sleepy tone.

"J-Jay?" I couldn't help the racking sobs that were threatening to take over me any minute.

"Isa, are you okay? What's wrong?" He said, concern now tainting his voice and more awake than before. It was too much to bear and I couldn't hold it in anymore. All of the pain and anger and sorrow had been building up ever since that cruel, fateful day. We were driving back from New York from my dad's business trip when a semi-truck hit us on the side of the car. I remembered looking up in a daze, seeing my leg caught between the car door and the seat. Most of all, I remembered seeing my dad, slumped over and pale. The look on his face was an expression that would haunt me the rest of my life. When we found out he didn't make it at the hospital, my mom cried in a way I had never seen her cry before. I watched her, it seemed from afar, screaming and quickly going into a state of hysteria. I couldn't speak. I couldn't cry. The shock of it all was too much. But nights like this were inevitable, the nights where I would silently cry myself to sleep then be haunted by the scenes I would see after I closed my eyes. I let my emotions finally come out, and I cried. I cried all the tears that have been trying to escape me from the first moment I learned that my dad had died.

"J-Jay, I-I'm sorry, I-I just had an-nother d-dream and......" my words were lost in my sobs and gasps.

"I'm coming over there, Isa."

"Ok-kay." I slowly got out of my bed and grabbed my crutches, making my way down the hall to see if my mom was home. When I got to her room, I saw that her bed was empty. It had been this way for the past few days, where my mom would not be home until early in the morning. Then she would climb back into bed and sleep for the rest of the day until late afternoon. I groped my way through the darkness back to my room to change my clothes into pj's that were more presentable. As soon as I gave up on trying to untangle the knotted mess on my head, I heard a knock on my window. Seeing Jaiden's silhouette, I unlocked the glass that separated us and he climbed into my extremely messy room. After fully standing up and regaining his balance, there was a moment of silence between us. He studied my tear-stained face, the large cast on my leg, then looked into my eyes. The way his eyes penetrated mine made me wonder if he was somehow looking into my soul. Before I could say anything to break the silence, his warm body enveloped me in a tender but firm hug. More heart wrenching sobs escaped my body as I let the tears fall freely into his shoulder. We just stayed like that, his hand traveling up and down my back in attempt to sooth me.

"Just let it all out, Isa. I'm right here," he said with a tenderness in his voice I had never heard before. My breath slowly started to even out enough that I could breath and notice the coming headache developing in my forehead.

"I'm sor-ry Jay. I've been s-so useless these past two we-eeks, always on the verge of tears whenever I am with s-someone else who cares about me. I'm just not a strong person."

Jaiden suddenly released his hold on me and took both of my hands into his. He looked deeply into my eyes and I could see his empathy and sadness for me.

"Alyssa, you are the strongest person I have ever met. You never gave up after the accident. You were strong when your mother wasn't. You still insist on using those crutches instead of a wheelchair, even though the latter is a lot easier. You're still the kind, sweet, beautiful, perfectly nerdy Alyssa that I've come to lo-...um....er...."

"Thanks, Jay. I'm g-glad you're my friend." I smiled slightly, showing my appreciation and thankfulness for our friendship. He slowly brought his hands up to my face and gently wiped the tears off of my cheeks.

"I'm glad, too. I don't know who would've kept me out of trouble if I hadn't been friends with you. I'd probably be in jail," Jay said with a slight smirk. I smiled and pushed him playfully. "Isa, I solemnly swear that I will stand by your side until my last and dying breath to support you," he promised with a mock hand on his heart and the other by his face.

"Thank you, Jaiden. For everything."

"I'd do just about anything for you, Isa. How's your leg, by the way?"

"It still hurts a good bit, but I'll live."

"Seriously, Isa. Just use the wheelchair. It'll help your leg heal faster, without the extra stress on it. Besides, I can push it for you."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"C'mon, Isa."

"Seriously, I don't want to."

"But you should."

"But I said I don't want to."

"Pleeeaaaaaasssse!?"

"No."

"Do it for the vine."

"Ugghhhh, stooooop."

"Not until you start using the wheelchair."

"Ugh, ok, you know what. Fine. I will."

"Hallelujah."

"Happy now, Jay Jay?"

"Yes...but don't call me that."

"Whatever you say Jay Jay."

"C'mere, you." He grasped my head in between his inner elbow and chest and gave me a rough noogie, ruffling my hair to where it was even more tangled then before. I squirmed in his grip and shoved him away with a slight smile. "I better get home before my mom wakes up, Isa. I'll be back when she wakes up. Why don't we go get some ice cream?"

"I'd like that, Jay."

"When I come back, I'll help you get the wheelchair."

"Yes, Dr. Roberts." Jaiden then surprised me as he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a warm hug. I gladly hugged him back. I felt so lucky to have a friend like Jaiden. When he pulled away, he opened the window and climbed out. He took two steps away, then hastily turned around. Jaiden, faster then I could register, stuck his head back through the window and quickly pecked my cheek. Oh. My. Gosh. I felt my cheeks instantly flood with heat. Even in the dim light of the street lamps, I saw that Jaiden's face almost matched mine. He took one last look at me, then turned on his heel and bolted. Closing the window, I grinned goofily to myself, the spot where his lips touched my skin tingling. At that moment, I forgot all of my pain and grief. I only remembered two things: the feeling of his arms around me and his soft lips against my cold cheek, and that I had better look like less of a mess for when he came to pick me up.

Oh. Em. Gosh. That was sooooooo sad. Geez...I didn't even mean for it to turn out like that. But it was sweet at the end though *blushes*. Finally, something interesting happens. Ugghhhh I have SOOO many ideas but I can't like fast forward too much or else it wouldn't make sense...but AGGHHHH I'm so excited! Stay tuned for chapter 4, and please tell me if you liked it, hated it, or have any suggestions! -disney_nerd101